Bridge support for load supporting laths in vertical storage filing cabinet



Oct. 17, 1967 G. l. BARKER 3,347,242

BRIDGE SUPPORT FOR LOAD SUPPORTING LA IN VERTICAL STOR AGE FILING CABFiled Dec. 1, 196

x m L United States Patent Ofiice 3,347,242 Patented Oct. 17, 19673,347,242 BRIDGE SUPPORT FOR LOAD SUPPORTING LATHS IN VERTICAL STORAGEFILING CABINET Graham Irving Barker, 208 Golden Oaks, Corlett Drive,Johannesburg, Transvaal, Republic of South Africa Filed Dec. 1, 1965,Ser. No. 511,292 Claims priority, application South Africa, May 7, 1965,2,386/ 65 1 Claim. (Cl. 129-16.7)

This invention relates to load supporting laths in vertical storagefiling cabinets in which the laths move along guide rails or the likeand from which drawings, maps, and the like may be suspended.

Drawings and other large sheets have heretofore been stored verticallyin filing cabinets by being suspended on pins projecting horizontallyfrom metal laths, the pins fitting through holes spaced along the marginof each sheet. Where ever such load carrying laths are used, however,they are subject to bending between their supported ends when extremeloading is applied between these ends. The bending of laths due to heavyloading not only renders the filing cabinets diflicult to manipulate butalso tends to misalign the pins with the margin holes, with resultantdanger of damaging the drawings.

It is therefore the prime object of the present invention to providemeans for maintaining such laths straight and horizontal under varyingload conditions without substantially increasing the weight of such lathor interfering with its effective functioning in the filing cabinet.

In general, the invention is featured by the provision of a re-enforcingmember connected between the ends of a metal lath of the type describedover a bridging member bearing on the underside of the lath. In apreferred embodiment of the invention, the re-enforcing member comprisesa flexible, endless wire cable looped through apertures in the ends ofthe lath and accommodated in the outer end of the bridging member whichis preferably adjustable as to height.

Other objects, features and advantages of the invention will be apparentto those skilled in the art from the following detailed description of apreferred embodiment thereof together with the accompanying drawings inwhich:

FIG. 1 is a plan view of a vertical storage filing cabinet having loadsupporting laths employing the invention;

FIG. 2 is an elevation on an enlarged scale of one of the laths showingthe novel bridging and re-enforcing members;

FIG. 3 is an enlarged, fragmentary, partially sectional view on line 33of FIG. 2 of the bridging member which cooperates with the re-enforcingmember;

FIG. 4 is an enlarged sectional view along the line 44 of FIG. 2; and

FIG. 5 is an enlarged sectional view on line 5-5 of FIG. 2.

With reference now to the drawings, and particularly FIG. 1 thereof, avertical storage filing cabinet is provided with a plurality of laths 20movable on bearings 12 in tracks 14 in the cabinet. Shaft 15 connectedsprockets 16 and chain members 18 maintain the parallel relationship ofthe laths 20 as they are moved. Interspersed pins 22, 24 of facingportions of the laths 20- are provided to support stored materials.

Each movable lath 20, one of which is shown in FIG. 2, has bearing onthe center underside thereof a bridging member 25 comprising a lug 26which has a radial bore 28 therethrough adapted to accommodate andsupport the rotatable shaft 15 carrying the sprockets associated withthe lath.

A screw-threaded spindle 30, FIG. 3, fitted with a locking nut 32 islocated in a complementary axially extending threaded hole 34 in the lug26 to project further downwardly and transversely of the lath. A bOSs 76having parallel, horizontal slots 38, 40 therein spaced apartsubstant-ially the thickness of the lath is secured in a freelyrotatable manner on the end of the spindle 30. By rotation of thespindle 30, the free end thereof at boss 36 can be extended more or lessas desired from the underside of the lath 20 and the locking nut 32 willbe used to secure the spindle 30 in the desired position. Radial bore 31in spindle 30 is provided to permit insertion of a key for turning andadjusting the spindle 30.

Adjacent each end of the lath 20 a hole 42, 44 is made, preferablyadjacent the underside of the lath 20, through the thickness of the lath20 through which a length of strong, light, non-extensible, flexiblewire cable 46 may be threaded. A locking grub screw 48 is threadedthrough the lath 20 to intersect one of the holes 42 for the cable 46 sothat the cable 46 may be easily secured, as in FIG. 4, as an endlessloop extending between the underside of the lath 20.

The mid-portions of the loop are located in the slots 38, 40 through theboss 36 on the end of the screw-threaded spindle 30, and it will beunderstood that by varying the length of the spindle, the cable willexert a force on the lath which will tend to bow the lath upwardly. Itwill be further understood that this bowing action can be utilized tocounteract a downward bowing action of the lath due to loading of thepins supporting the drawings.

In operation, after the lath is loaded, spindle 30 is rotated forlengthening until the lath 20 is straight. The spindle 30 is then lockedin position by locking nut 32. If the load is materially changed at alater time, locking nut 32 may be released, the spindle 30 appropriatelyadjusted, and nut 32 locked once again. If desired, prior to initialloading, a prestress may be placed on the lath 20 by lengthening spindle30 to anticipate the load factor and final adjustment of the spindle 30may then be made after loading.

In practice it has been found that the use of laths as above describedhas enabled even very severely overloaded cabinets to operate smoothlyand easily without any damage to drawings filed therein, since the lathsand alignment of supporting pins may be kept horizontal.

Other embodiments of this invention will occur to those skilled in theart which are within the spirit and scope of the following claim:

What is claimed is:

In a vertical storage filing cabinet, a load carrying lath having meansat its ends for support thereof, and a plurality of horizontallyextending loading pins projecting from a vertical side of said lath,that improvement which comprises:

a bridging member positioned centrally of said lath bearing on theunderside thereof, and having a free end spaced vertically from thecentral portion of said lath;

said lath having a hole at each end extending horizontally therethrough;

a flexible cable threaded through one hole and having its ends securedin the other hole thereby providing an endless loop extending tautlyover said bridging member;

said bridging member comprising a lug bearing on said lath having avertical threaded opening therein;

a threaded spindle in said threaded opening;

a boss rotatably mounted on the end of said spindle remote from said lugover which said flexible cable extends;

said boss having a pair of horizontal channels thereacross spacedsubstantially the width of said lath;

said looped cable being positioned in said channels;

3 means for rotating said spindle to adjust the tension on said cable;and

a locking nut being provided on said spindle;

whereby load applied to said lath at the eenter thereof may bedistributed to the ends thereof.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 135,966 9/1873 Boyle "52-1226 4460,213 9/1891 McCarthy 52-226 932,118 8/1909 Gerhardt etal. v 52-2911,467,662 9/1923 Van Aslst 52226 1,605,873 11/1926 Trout 52-291 FOREIGNPATENTS 903,214 8/1962 Great Britain.

JEROME SCHNALL, Primary Examiner.

